Is Corn Starch Bad For You?
Also Known As: cornstarch, cornflour, maize starch
Short answer
Corn starch is a gluten-free carbohydrate that is used mainly as a liquid thickener in gravies, soups, sauces, glazes, pies and desserts. Because most corn starch is derived from genetically modified corn it is not good for you. There are healthy corn starch alternatives so those choices are better for you.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Pure corn starch is a popular cooking ingredient that adds thickness to liquids. It is gluten free which has it made it popular since 1 in 200 people are gluten sensitive. Corn starch is a carbohydrate that is extracted from the endosperm of the corn-which is just beneath the outer shell of the kernel. The endosperm is ground up into the white powder-which is your corn starch. This highly processed carbohydrate contributes calories to our diet but has negligible amounts of fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. It has limited nutritional value except to add more glucose to your diet. And to make matters worse, corn starch is used to make high fructose corn syrup.
Because most corn starch comes from genetically modified corn it is reasonable to touch on this destructive subject. Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are created in the laboratory by modifying their DNA to “make them stronger, more resistant to pesticides and insecticides, grow faster with a higher yield and have better aesthetics.” Unfortunately what has happened to crops-like corn and soy-is that they are sprayed indiscriminately with deadly insecticides and pesticides. This leads to more and more toxicity entering our food chain. Animals that are raised for consumption are eating GMO plants that are laden with dangerous pesticides. We, in turn, eat the animals-and thus this chain of events continues as the GMO farmers and animal factory farmers continue to introduce more and more poison into our population.
Studies on GMO’s and lab animals show a rise in organ damage, DNA damage, allergic reactions and abnormal behavior. There is continued concern that as GMO crops continue to flourish - chronic inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, obesity and malignancies in humans will continue to escalate.
Because corn starch is used in some topical preparations you may be using a powder or cosmetic product that is also manufactured using genetically modified corn. There are also many consumable products sold premade in grocery stores that already have corn starch in them. To name a few:
- Puddings and Yogurts
- Syrups
- Canned gravies
- Shortbread or shortbread-like snack items
- Brownies, cookies, doughnuts, cakes and pies
- Biscuits, rolls, bagels and most bread products
- Hamburger and sausage patties
- Frostings or fillings
- Cold cereals
- Juices and soft drinks
But let’s not forget that corn starch is used to make HFCS and there are thousands of items that contain this ingredient.
Possible short-term side effects
- gi upset with constipation
Possible long-term side effects
- elevated glucose levels
-
weight gain
-
elevated blood pressure
-
amlophagia (eating large amounts of corn starch in pregnancy-can lead to abnormalities in the baby’s developmental process, premature delivery, c-section delivery and a high birth weight)
-
toxicity from genetically modified corn starch
Benefits
- gluten-free
-
calorie booster for people that need weight gain
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elevate glucose in people that have low glucose levels and a treatment for glycogen storage disease (inherited metabolic disorder)
-
energy source
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Written by Dr. Becky Maes
Published on: 12-19-2017
Last updated: 11-28-2023
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Dr. Becky Maes
Published on: 12-19-2017
Last updated: 11-28-2023
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